Paris (AFP)

A player deprived of an internship because positive for Covid-19, the Toulouse Stadium, a major provider of internationals, faced with contaminations: the specter of the coronavirus lurks around the XV of France, folded in its bubble to limit the risks.

"We only leave the hotel (privatized) for training, we pass two or three tests per week. So we really do everything we can to stay within the rules and be careful", explained the second Montpellier line Paul Willemse on Saturday during a videoconference press point.

So far, so good.

The French authorities validated the health protocol presented by the organizers of the Tournament during the week.

And the Blues, meeting in Nice since Sunday, continue their preparation for the opening match on February 6 in Rome against Italy, following a strict and reinforced health protocol.

In order to limit the comings and goings of the players between the cocoon of Nice and their club, the France group can no longer have 42 players but 31 at most, and this for the entire Tournament (February 6 - March 20).

The Federation (FFR) and the League (LNR) formalized a new agreement to this effect on Saturday.

The resurgence of the pandemic and the postponements of Top 14 matches, which go with it, have pushed the management of the Blues to adapt.

Recently, the second line of La Rochelle Thomas Lavault, positive for the coronavirus, had to leave Nice even before being able to integrate the bubble.

And Stade Toulouse, leader of the championship and one of the biggest suppliers of French internationals, recorded two positive cases and a third player who presented "doubtful symptoms".

This situation caused the postponement of the summit shock against La Rochelle, originally scheduled for Sunday.

The Toulousains had played their last match last weekend in Agen, where positive cases were also detected during the week.

- Kill boredom -

Six players summoned to the Nice training camp participated in this match.

François Cros and Selevasio Tolofua, made available to their club on Thursday, as well as Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Dorian Aldegheri and Antoine Dupont who all four continue the preparation with the Blues.

"We are tested several times a week, so we regularly know if a player has symptoms or not. It turns out that all Toulouse players (in the France team) have tested negative, so we continue our process to play the Tournament, "said Bordeaux third row Cameron Woki on Saturday.

Is this anxiety-provoking atmosphere disturbing?

"This does not change our operation at all," replied the Toulon opener Louis Carbonel who was preparing, with his twenty-seven partners, to participate in a "high intensity" opposition in the evening.

Does organizing these sessions with a maximum of thirty-one players instead of forty-two have an impact?

"Thirty-one players, that's enough to make good oppositions. The French team at VII (also in training camp in Nice) is there to support us. This will not change much," said the winger Toulonnais Gabin Villière.

The other issue for the French, locked in their hotel when they are not training, is to kill boredom.

“But we are not in Nice to attract tourists or visit the city,” insists Woki, indicating that a game room has been made available.

"When I don't know what to do, I play cards", concludes Carbonel.

© 2021 AFP